Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Reluctant Chef and the Even More Reluctant Diner

Saw a recipe for Gumbo.
I love Gumbo and order it every time I see it on a menu.
I told my wife, "I think I will make that for dinner".
"Doesn't look to hard just a lot of chopping".
That dampened my enthusiasm but decided later in the day to go ahead and try a batch.
I called my wife to let her know I was making the Gumbo and got the advice, "Be sure to cook the chicken before putting it in the crock pot".
Oh, ye of little faith.
I went to the store and picked up the necessary ingredients and added a few of my own.
For instance, the recipe did not call for Okra but no real Gumbo lacks Okra.
I also picked up some devilishly hot Cajun Spices.
I decided to use the crock pot instead of doing it in a stew pot on the stove.
The only thing I made on the stove was the Roux and I substituted Flax Seed Oil for Peanut Oil, seemed healthier.
I also decided to use the food processor instead of hand chopping all of the vegetables.
The food processor is a monster; it is said to be ale to grind up cement.
So I begin chucking onions, celery, green peppers into the chute and when finished I had a very green liquid.
Little recognizable evidence of the vegetables remained other than the potent smell of onion.
I dump this into the crock pot along with the COOKED CHICKEN, garlic, Cajun Spices, a bag of black eyed peas, a bag of frozen Okra and Andouille Sausage, about 1.5 pounds.
I then heated the Flax Seed Oil and whisked in one cup of all purpose flour.
This was transferred to the crock pot and for the next six hours, the Gumbo "boiled and bubbled".
The odor of the cooking Gumbo took me back to New Orleans, Hilton Head and other places in the low country or deep south.
The only problem; the Gumbo remained fluorescent green.
I attributed it to an excess of Chorophyll but I had to admit, it did not look like any Gumbo I had ever eaten.
By the time it was ready my wife had appeared on the scene.
She took one look at the Gumbo and said "I am not eating that, it is really bright green".
I answered, "It is supposed to be, it is an early St. Patrick's Day Stew".
Convinced by a white lie we both sat down to a bowl of green stew with a glass of Red Irish Wine.
Truly a rainbow feast.
Next time your over I'll make a batch for you.